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2 sheds-sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY M. R. HUDSON TRAWL Filed July 2l, 1921-Manz 6, 1923.

M'. R. Hb'soN TRAW L Filed July 21, V1921 2 sheets-sheet WITNESSES W M wATTOR N EY Patented 6, i923.

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MACK R. HUDSON, F GRETNA, LOUISANA.

. TRAWL.

Application led July 21, 1921.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, MACK HUDSON, a i

I duit to a heating means located on the surface of the water. s 4

l-leretofore7 in dragging nets along the bed of a stream in order tocatchsh or shrimp, it frequently happens that the net will pass by aschool of fish without trapping any, or itwill pass through a schoolandv catch a certain quantity,`but as the ynet is in motion it willalsopass beyond the school. detected in time, the path could be retracedafter the net had been emptied, but a great deal of time will have beenlost in the meantime and it might be impossible to find the fish.Furthermore, it will be seen that no means are employed by which it ispossible to detect the school of fish or shrimp. The detection in thiscase depends merely upon experimentation.

lt is an object of my invention to be able to detect immediately whenthe trawl is passing through a school of fish or shrimp. and likewise todeliver the saine to a floating means upon the surface of the 'water ina new and improved manner. lt is also a purpose of my invention to usethe means thatV delivers the fish to lthe floating niieans for cleansingthe conduit when it occasionally becomes obstructed by extraneousmatter.

VThe invention will be bestunderstood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the-accompanyingdrawing forming partof this specification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so longas such changes and modiiications mark no material departure from thesalient features .of the invent-ion as ezipressed in the appendedclaims,

lf the presence of the fish were Serial No. 436,341.

ln the drawings Fig.. l is a view in perspective of my improved devicefor catching lish secured in operative relation with the boat.

-Fig. 2 is a plan view of the saine.

ll ig. 3 is a detail view in vertical section of the trawl.

Fig. l discloses a view in detail of a valve for closing the end of theconduit through which fish and water are forced.

While l have primarily designed my device for catching shrimp, l wish itto be understood that it is equally applicable for catching lfish andfurthermore than the limitation lishlris used broadly throughout thespecification to include shrimp.

ln the drawings, l designates anykind of a. floating means, such as avessel generally used for the purpose `of fishing, located on thesurfaceof a body of water, and to which is connected one end of a pipe line 2of flexible tubing, the other end 3 being located below the surfaceofthe water and near the bed of ,the body of said water and forced overthe end of a metal tubing la and clamped thereon. A bent tubing 4 is connected to the tube 4f by means of flanges 5 and 6, and bolt 7, in orderto form an air and water-tight seal between the joints. The tubing 4 hasa funnel-shaped port-ion 8 located below the portion l graduallyincreasing in width to a mouth 9 upon which is secured a net l0 by meansof the ring il and bolts 12. The ring or pad ll may be of flexiblematerial on whichthe small end of the net is sewed.

Projecting outwardly from the mouth 9 of the return portion 8 is aconical member 13 formed of a number of bars 14 which are `adapted to beconneeted at their ends by a two sides of the net, preferably near thebottom of they same, are secured two blocks l'preferably of wood to holdthe mouth of the net close to the bed of the stream.

These blocks are adapted to be connected to the boat 1 by means of theropes 18. A series of ropes 19 which are secured in any approved mannernear the ends ot' the blocks are brought diagonally towards the centerto be secured to the ropes 18; The upper ends of the ropes 1S arepreferably connected to a windlass 20 located on the decir of the boat1.

An air conduit. 21, preferably of flexible tubing, is directed fromeither an air tank or air pump located on the deck ofthe boat and'may,as shown in Fig. 1be carried overhead upon the posts 22 and thendownwardly and alongside of the conduit 2 and connected thereto by anyimproved fastening. means.

v so

The ai: conduit is provided with a connec-v tion 23 to the tubing 4 sothat as a valve is opened in the air line, air will be forced into thetube 4 and upwardly in the conduit 2 to cause the water in said conduit,together with any small fish and shrimp that may have been dra-*wn intothe conduit 4 trom the net 10, to be forced upwardly through saidconduit, outwardly through the mouth 24, past thevalve 25, normally keptopen by a handle v26, and into a container 2". The container isconstructed of wir@ lnetting ot a` very line mesh which is adapted tostrain the water flowing from the conduit 2 and to prevent the escape ofshrimp, but which nevertheless will permit the water and dirt to passtherethrough. As the shrimp are deposited in the container, they arethoroughly washed of any mud byy the water pouring from the mouth of thetube 2.

The container 427 is secured to the side of the vessel 1 andsuiliciently below the side loli the boat to permit the container to bepartially submerged in order that shrimp or fish may be maintained inwater and kept alive.

lf it be necessary at any time to remove obstructions that have beendrawn into the `funnel-shaped portion S of the conduit 4 by the waterfrom the net 10, the handle 26 may be operated to close the valve 25upon the end 24 of the pipe 2, when the direction ci' ythewater in thetube 2 will be reversed and cause the obstruction to be forced outwardlythrough the unnelshaped portion 8, beyond the net.

In lowering the trawl and the conduit 2,

it will be noted that the same will have a tendency to turn sidewise asit sinks through the water so that the net 1.0 will not lie in properposition upon the bed of the stream. To prevent this, and maintain thetube 4 in upright position, a chamber 29 is secured upon the lower endof the conduit 2, or as shown in 3, upon the conduit 4, and the airhaving been pumped out of the same will cause the conduit 4 to partiallyfloat and carry the conduit 4 always above the funnel-shaped member 8,so that the member 8 will always sink tiret and lay the net 10 properlyon the bed oit the stream.

Un the outer end of the tunnel-shaped portion 8 et the conduit issecured a runner 80 which Ais bent downwardly, forming a shaped member 8to ride properly on the' bed o'l the, stream, since the chamber 29 tendsto hold tlurconduit 4 in elevated position while the ruimer 30causes'the funnel-shaped member 8 to glide properly over the bed,` ofthe stream.

lhe method ci loperating my device is asV ollowszf-The conduit `2 andthe 'air yline 21 are thrown overboard from the vessel 1, together withthe net 10. rEhe ropes 18ers let out `from the windlass 20 and the ves-Ysel 1 may be started in rnotion as the pipe line 2 and the ropes 1S arelet out, ,sothatV the net 10 will be JforcedV downwardly through thewater towards 'the-bottom The air chamber 29 secured tothe end of theconduit 2, will cause the end fotthe tubingl 2 to remain alwaysv inan'elevatedv position 'above the funnel-'shaped meniber, whilethebloclrs llsecuredto themouth of the net 10 will likewise cause theendfotthe netto sinh and ride readily towards the bedotf the streai'n. 1l/l'hen theropes 18 andthe conduit are let out sufticiently, thetrawl,comprising the net and the conduit 2,willf begin to drag upon the bedandthe runner 3 in the bottom oit' the :funnel-shaped member 8, willride upon said bed. The outlet-24ot the conduit 2 is maintained abovethe surface of the water and enters the container 27 Vwith the valve 25in open position.

Air from a tank or an air-pump is forced through the airline 2l; to a`pointnear` theA depressed `portion otthe conduit 2, and as this air isiorced into the conduit, water will be forced to circulate in theconduit 2 and drain into the container 27.A

It at anyV time it will be not-iced that shrimp `or fish are 'flowingwith the water out oi the mouth 24 oi"- the tube' 2, the'vessel will belrept in motion and the course repeatedly retraced at this point togather in, as many shrimp as possible. At the same time, the air will becontinued through the line 21 to maintain the circulation of water toforce any small iish or shrimp that are passing through the net upwardlythrough the conduit 2 and into the container 27.

lt will be seen that by this device, shrimp or fish may not only becaught but their presence will be detected immediately, sincecommunication between water at the bed of the stream and the vessel isestablished by the air pressure causing a circulation of the water andany ish or shrimp that happen to pass through the net are carriedupwardly through the conduit to the container 27. 'lhe trawl will alwaysbe in motion and the vessel will be repeatedly turned back over thisspot dragging the-trawl each time through the school until it is noticedthat no more shrimp or fish are passing into the container when it mayresume its journey until another school is detected.

1. ln a trawl, a net provided with open ends, a pipe line connected to=one end of the net, and means for causing circulation of water from thenet through the pipe line, and means on the lower end of the pipe linefor selectively eliminating objects within certain limits of size to thepipe, said means comprising a plurality of spaced bars arranged to forma conical member, the apex of which extends outwardly from the end oicthe pipe into the net.

2. ln a trawl, a net provided with open v. ends, a pipe line connectedto one end of the net, means for causing circulation ol water from thenet through the pipe line, and means for closing the upper end of thepipe line to cause the water to 'torce obstructions out of said pipeline.

3. ln a trawl, a net provided with an entrance and an exit adapted to bedragged along the hed of a stream, a fio-ating means, connectionsbetween said iioating means and the entrance of the net, a conduit inalinement with and secured to the exit of the net, means for causingcirculation ci water from the net through said conduit, a strainingmeans secured te said floating means and adapted to receive the waterpassing through said conduit from the net, a valve in the pipe lineadapted to cut oi communication between the pipe line and the strainingmeans to cause a reversal of the flow of water through the pipe line.

lentrance and an exit, a pipe line in alinement with and yconnected tothe exit of said net. a floating means having connections with theentrance of the net, means for causing the water to flow from the netthrough the pipe line, the upper end of said pipe line being supportedby the Heating means, and means secured to the end of the pipe to directthe end of the pipe and the net away from the bed of the stream, saidlast-mem tioned means being curved downwardly from and in spacedrelation with the end of the pipe line and net, and then curved upwardly into engagement with said net.

5. lin a trawl, a net provided with an entra-nce and an exit, a pipeline having a return bend portion located below the pipe line andconnected to the enit oi' said net, a

floating means having connection with the pipe line, means connected tothat portion of the pipe line which is directly ahove the return bendportion for causing water to flow from the net through the pipe line tothe oating means.

6. lln a trawl, a net provided with an entrance and an exit, a pipe linein aline ment with and connected to the exit of said net, a Heatingmeans having connections with the entrance of the net, means for causingcirculation of the water from the net through the pipe line, the upperend of said pipe line being supported by the floating means, meanssecured to the end oit' the pipe to direct the end ot the pipe and thenet away from the bed of the stream, and a receptacle in. communicationwith the pipe line adapted to strain the water forced from said pipeline, and means to cut oil' communication between the pipe line and thereceptacle to cause a reversal or' the flow of water through the pipeline.

7. In a trawl,a net provided with open ends, a pipe line connected toone end of the net, a container located at the surface of a body ofwater, means for causing flow of water from the net through the pipeline, into the container, and means for reversing the ilow of saidwater.

8. n a trawl, a net provided with open ends, a pipe line connected atits lower end to one end of the net, means for causing water to flowfrom the net through the pipe line and out oi upper end of pipe line,and means cooperating with said means for causing water toiiow in areverse direction through said pipe line.

9. ln a trawl, a net provided with open ends, a pipe line, a conduithaving a funnel shaped portion returned below the conduit and connectedtol an open end of the net, the conduit being connected to the pipeline, and for causing circulation of water from the net through the pipeline, said means consisting of an air conduit connected to the otherconduit and having its lower end en tering said other conduit above thefunnelshaped portion.

l0'. ln a trawl, a net provided with open ends, a pipe line connected toone end of the net, mea-ns for causing water to iiow Jfrom the netthrough the pipe line, and means enclosed by the net and secured to oneend of the pipe for selectively admitting objects with the water to thepipe line remote from the mouth of the net.

11. :in a trawl, a net provided with open ends, a pipe line connected toand communicating with one of said open ends, a perforated containerinto which the pipe line dischargem'and an air conduit discharging into'from the mud :it thefhottoni of a stream the pipeline and`communieating with a whereby substantially Clear Water-'is` forced lsomce of compressed air, the air discharged through hepipe line, n 10from said air conduit causing the iish to In testimony that I claim theoregoingas pass, up the air line to the container, and my own7 havehereto affixed my signature. means on the end of the pipe line fordreet- Y ing thel net and. the end of said ppeaway MACK R. HUDSON'.

